That has absolutely nothing to do with my point. The point being how much better can equipment get? Gear we consider dang-near primitive was good enough to kill an elephant, yet you know as well as anyone even the most up to date bow, arrow, and broadhead can fail on much smaller game.
I never said or implied the end justifies the means.
I've taken some very good shots, and lost deer. I've taken some shots that were less ideal, and killed them. So where is the consistancy ? What does it mean ?
There's no such thing as a good shot that didn't do the job. The angle could be perfect, the distance could be perfect, the situation could be perfect--but something was very wrong, else it would have resulted in a dead animal. On the other hand, even if the situation is less than ideal, but the hunter is able to make the shot count, it's a good shot. I'm not talking about getting lucky here--and I consider some of the shots Fred got away with to be very lucky.
You don't get out much do you?[8D]
Of course it doesn't matter to the ARA's how a human kills and animal, except they can get more press by exposing "cruelty"--and who is the press meant for? Those who are neutral or undecided--the same ones we hunters need to leave a good impression on, because they vote and can play a role in the future of hunting, whether they participate or not.
Is it a different world ? yes. Is it THAT different ? I don't know that it is ........
It is VERY different today. We have ARA groups with huge budgets and lots of influence to deal with. People today have cell phone cameras, digital cameras, and anyone who cares to can have their own web site and/or post pictures on other web sites. And to re-hash what I've already said, very few people have a clue about where meat really comes from, or ever think about it, compared to not too many years ago when putting meat on the table meant slaughtering it yourself. Around here folks still talk about hog killin's, how the community all pitched in to get the job done, and the meat was often shared or everyone took turns going from one house to another to make the work easier. One of my neighbors plans to have an "old timey hog killin" in the near future, so the younger generation can see how it used to be done.
What hunter's have to deal withto protect the sport has changed a lot. We have to adapt or become extinct.
Chad